ANNEXATION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING 101
An Introduction to the law of Annexation and Boundary
Changes, with a Focus on Public Infrastructure Financing
Presented by Pamela J. Beery and Christopher D. Crean
Beery, Elsner & Hammond LLP
House Land Use and Senate Committee on Rural Communities and Economic
Development | June 18, 2013
Presentation Overview
 Annexation to Cities
• Legal limitations
• Procedures
 Annexation to Service Districts
 Withdrawal from Service Districts
 Land use issues
 Coordination issues among governments
 Infrastructure Financing Tools
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Annexation to Cities
 Governed by statute and case law
 Annexation Statutes – ORS Chapter 222:
• ORS 222.111 – Authority to Annex – contiguity
requirement, annexation must be “reasonable”
• ORS 222.120 – Hearing Requirements
• ORS 222.125 - Double Majority, and ORS 222.175
– Triple Majority. Require written consent or a vote
• ORS 222.750 – Island Annexation – 2007
legislative changes, case law add limitations
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Annexation to and Withdrawal from Districts
 Service Districts:
 Special Districts
• Organized under specific statutory authority.
• Examples include:
o Rural Fire Protection Districts (ORS Chapter
478) ; Water Supply Districts (ORS Chapter 264);
Sanitary Districts (ORS Chapter 450)
 County Service Districts
• Organized under ORS Chapter 451. Typically, Board
of County Commissioners serves as District Board.
• Examples include Clean Water Services (Washington
County) and Clackamas County Service District #1
(storm water and sanitary sewer)
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Annexation to and Withdrawal from Districts
(cont’d)
 Special Districts also may annex
•
Statute ties annexation to service availability (ORS
198.850(2)
•
Territory need not be contiguous
•
Petitions for annexation decided by County Board
 Cities and residents can withdraw territory
from Districts
•
Cities upon annexation to city or later
•
Landowners or voters can petition for withdrawal;
County Commission decides, or vote in the district
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Annexation as a Land Use Decision
 Annexation is a “land use” decision.
 Annexation must comply with local comprehensive
plan and land use regulations. ORS 197.175
 If election is held, the result of the election is not a
land use decision.
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Coordination Issues:
 City can withdraw annexed area from certain
special districts. ORS 222.510, 222.520, 222.524.
 City must provide (i.e. fund) the service.
• HB 2618 (2013)
 Annexing city into special district. ORS 198.866.
 Requires voter approval unless city entirely
surrounded by district, or city is less than 20 percent
of district population

“SB 122” Coordination Agreements.
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Coordination Issues (cont’d)
 “SB 122” Agreements.
• ORS 195.060 to 195.085.
• Enacted in 1993. Compliance has been uneven.
• Required to address, among other things:
(a) Whether the urban service will be provided by a city,
county, district, authority or a combination.
(b) The role of each service provider in the future.
(c) The future service area for each provider.
(d) Planning responsibilities.
(e) The terms of transitions in terms of ownership of
facilities, annexation of service territory, transfer of moneys
or project responsibility and the merger of service
providers.
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Financing Local Infrastructure:

Limits on Local Taxing Authority
 Art. XI, Section 11.
• Fixes local permanent rate at1997 rate. Section
(3)(b).
• Limits increase in assessed value to three percent
per year. Section (1)(b).

Implemented through ORS Chapter 310.

“Compression” may impose additional limits.

Local governments have been turning to both
traditional and new financing options to provide
infrastructure
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Financing Local Infrastructure, continued
Some financing tools:


Local Improvement District. ORS 223.387 to 223.395.
•
City builds improvements
•
Benefited properties pay
•
Detailed statutory process and requirements
•
Local government share of cost
•
Lien factor
Reimbursement District.
•
Local tool, no statutory corollary
•
Developer funds improvements
•
Benefiting properties reimburse
•
No lien
•
Challenged and upheld by Court of Appeals - Baker v. City of
Woodburn.
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Financing Local Infrastructure, continued
 Systems Development Charges. ORS
223.297 to 223.314.
• Cities, counties, special districts can charge
• Public process for adoption
• Statutes are designed for fair share contribution by
development
• Many legislative changes
• Important court cases
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Financing Local Infrastructure, continued
 Bonds
 General Obligation bonds (GO)
• Cities, counties, some special districts
• Voter approval required
• Repayment guaranteed by full faith and credit of
issuer
• Costly to issue, market uncertainty
 Revenue bonds
• No voter approval
• Repayment assured only by revenue from the facility
built with the bond proceeds
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Financing Local Infrastructure, continued
 Urban Renewal. ORS Chapter 457
• Statutory option – property tax bill stays the same,
revenues from tax payments diverted to approved
urban renewal district
• Cities and Counties
• Elimination of “blight” by building improvements
• Complex public outreach and adoption process
• Much significant legislation
• Limits on scope
• Several Districts are operating in Oregon
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Conclusion and Questions

Complex issue with significant political, financial
implications

Legislation as a “barometer”

Questions and discussion by the Committee
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